All my life is watching movies. I screened Vantage Point yesterday and must see Sleuth today, so last night I wasn't sure I wanted to see another for fun. But I'm so glad I did. My co-worker Lucie put an announcement on my desk about a screening of Nosferatu, with a live score. I'd never seen it, and it made me think of Jon Todd's live score to The Cabinet of Dr. Caligari so many years ago in Jacksonville. (Which led me to researching all of the current projects of Tim Massett, Jax's film programmer extraordinaire, who still seems to be doing amazing things. I can carry on about midnighters at San Marco Theatre, the Pit, and pirate radio KRAD some other time).
The screening was at the performance space La Fabrika, which I'd heard of from the Prague Burlesque website. Prague is divided into sections- I live in Prague 6, work in Prague 1, and Fabrika is in Prague 7. (The boonies would be areas like Prague 20.) So I took my longest tram ride yet there, but it was easy to find. There were at least two hundred people there, a packed house. The girl sitting next to me went up to get a glass of wine and suggested I come with her, and I made my first Czech friend (outside of work)! The intro to the show was neverending. When people would laugh, Sylvie would kindly explain what was funny. The narrator of the show was Pavel Zajíček, and the score was played by a bunch of talented violinists, cellists, programmers, bassist, and a percussionist, heavy on the gong. Here's a sample of his awesome voice, and the music:
I learned that Zajíček is a legend in underground Czech culture. From Praguetv.com:
"Fronted by poet Pavel Zajíček, DG 307 was one of the key bands in Prague's 1970s underground rock scene. Zajíček formed the group in 1973, with his friend Milan "Mejla" Hlavsa, who also founded and led The Plastic People of the Universe. DG 307 took its name from the code given to a diagnosis of clinical insanity - a diagnosis the Communist regime often applied to dissidents.
Following a government crackdown, Zajíček was imprisoned for a year in 1976, along with Hlavsa and other members of The Plastic People. Outrage at the government's actions led to the publication of a manifesto called Charta 77 (Charter 77), from which a dissident movement emerged, led by playwright Václav Havel, that would eventually topple the regime.
Following Zajíček's release from prison, DG 307 - now minus Hlavsa, who was concentrating on his main band -faced continued government resistance. The band managed to put on only two live shows before Zajíček was allowed to leave Czechoslovakia, in 1980. He lived in Sweden until 1986, before moving to New York City, then moved back home in 1992.
Back in Prague, Zajíček again worked with Hlavsa, producing the album Uměle ochuceno/Artificially Flavored at around the same time that DG 307's 1970s material was finally getting an official release. While Hlavsa's involvement with DG 307 ended there, the band has continued to record and play live regularly, showcasing Zajíček poetic lyrics and powerful vocals."
Wow! The '60s and '70s underground culture was also expressed in Samizdat, clandestine zine-making. A Post writer did a piece last week on a 75-year old artist Vladislav Zadrobílek, known for his samizdat. It's very interesting- read here if you like.
All in all an extremely educational/recreational evening. I did find a good cocktail too, by accident--I asked for a Gambrinus and the hot bartender thought I said 'caipirinha'! Really?! I know where to go in Seattle for one, but you never know who's going to know it; even when I was in L.A. I had bad luck. It was great. But, I should've just asked for pivo, rather than the type of beer. Sylvie and her friend talked with me about movies (she loves Miyazaki and Jarmusch), music and Seattle. Going there was their teenage dream, as it was mine. :) She gave me a tram ticket that I squeezed the life out of by taking a combination of 3 trams/2 metro lines home, because I was tipsy and my original transfer stop was utterly deserted and weird. That accomplishment plus this morning's--I navigated to work after construction/tour bus accident/broken down tram madness, w/o looking at any street names--have me feeling more confident about the city. Yes!!!
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